Caryl Churchill’s new play examines how governments justify brutality

Caryl Churchill’s new play, *Triumph*, uses a fictional emperor and his press officer to explore how governments excuse brutality and manage its public image. The 20-minute work has opened at London’s Almeida theatre and draws parallels between ancient Rome and contemporary strongman politics without naming modern leaders.

The press officer, played by Kate O’Flynn, initially praises the emperor’s achievements, then exposes the regime’s cruelty after learning of its treatment of prisoners. Instead of facing punishment, she is rewarded as ratings rise, with the line: “The people like a strong emperor.” The play’s atrocities are taken from Suetonius’s *The Twelve Caesars*, and the article connects its themes to recent examples of political rhetoric and state violence.